Coffee
by mysteriously.mesmerized
Summary: The bitter taste of coffee soothed his soul; he never wanted any sugar to disturb the bitterness, but why isn't he satisfied? NiouAkayaMarui. Written for the Forum's SSHFE .:Dedicated to iPurple is Lana-chan:.


.x.o.x.o.x.  
**-Coffee-  
**.x.o.x.o.x.

**Original version: 29 November 2008 **to **5** **December 2008**

**Beta'ed version: 9 December 2008 **to **9 December 2008**

**Beta: The Night Owl is Addicted**

_**Fic written for the Pointless but Original Talking Forum Secret Santa Fic Exchange:**_

**Request Number:** 09  
**Pairing/Groups:** NiouKiri, AkaBun, HaruMaru, Dirty Pair, Sweet Pair, Platinum Pair  
**Squicks/Turn Offs in Fic:** Mary Sues, sloppy writing  
**Interests in Fic:** Angst... if not, cuteness~  
**Gen/Het/Slash/Smut/None/All-of-the-above?:** All of the above.  
**Request:**  
Pairing: Either the NiouAkayaMarui threesome or Platinum Pair!  
Rating: K, K+ or T  
Details: Either a cute OR angst-y fic~

**A/N:** **Don't really know how to write an angsty fic... but, I did my best for the lovely, lovely, Lana-chan! So, I hope this meets your desires! Here is your NiouAkayaMarui threesome fic! Merry belated Christmas!! :D**

* * *

The warm cup of coffee reflected the dim light of the cozy cafe. The stillness of the dark, amber liquid was blurred by the small puffs of mist rising from the exquisite white cup. A delicate silver spoon was gently picked up by slender fingers and dipped into the coffee, slowly disturbing the quiet surface. The three cubes of white sugar placed in a small saucer were forgotten, leaving the dark coffee undisturbed by their sweetness. The spoon sent soft, even ripples across the surface of the dark and bitter drink. Intoxicating fragrance arose, warm and tempting.

The spoon mirrored a pair of forest green eyes, deep and questioning. The owner of the pair of emerald eyes was staring blankly at the cup of coffee, toying with the silver spoon in his hand. Glancing at the empty seats in front of him, he sighed. Will he be celebrating Christmas alone this year?

_Since when_, he thought, had he started to like to drink coffee this much?

He let his eyes wander to the glass wall separating the cafe from the streets. The cold moon of the frosty winter night glared down brightly from the dark, starless sky. Outside in the streets, people were all dressed in warm and comfortable clothes, many carrying beautifully wrapped gifts, anxious to get home to celebrate the holy season of Christmas. He stared at his transparent reflection on the polished glass, puffing out warm breath that stained the cold glass white.

Yes, it was then... last year's Christmas... when they were celebrating their graduation from high school... the first time he ever tasted coffee. He fell in love with it. The fragrant bitterness that stained his tongue, and back then, that person who had been like the coffee he loved... he had said...

"Niou-senpai, don't you want some sugar?"

"No, I like it this way."

It was the coffee's bitterness that he had fallen in love with, without the disturbance of sugar... just coffee itself... because the taste reflected his feelings. Just like a drop of coffee stain, it slowly spread out... eventually filling out the spaces evenly... flawlessly...

_But_, he continued to stare out of the glass window; just wanting to have coffee alone forever hadn't been possible for him... for there was, as always, the interruption of the sugar he had tried his best to avoid...

"Eh? Niou, isn't just drinking coffee alone too bitter? It will taste better if you add sugar. Here!"

"No, Marui, wait—!"

As soon as the tiny granules of sugar touched the warm surface of the bitter drink, they sank down and melted into nothingness, leaving him staring at his cup blankly. He had then abandoned his drink after that, a very childish act of him; he himself hadn't known the cause of the resentment that arose inside him.

Sighing, he continued the stir the dark amber liquid in his cup absent-mindedly; the clear glass mirrored his pair of emerald green eyes, which were clouded and ambiguous. He had wanted to be the sugar to dissolve the bitterness of the coffee, but it seemed that he wasn't the one who did so...

_Since when_, he thought, had he started to dislike sugar so much?

The sugary sweetness that had tainted the bitterness of the coffee, spoiling the bitter tempting odor of the drink, he resented it. But then, hadn't he, himself, wanted to be the sugar that did so? How unreasonable was vain gloriousness of people? Just because he hadn't been the sugar for him back then...

"Give me that bag of sugar, Marui-senpai, I want to add it to my coffee!"

"Nuh-uh, no way, it's for Niou!"

"No, Marui. I told you, I don't want it."

"Oh... well then, Akaya, you have to persuade me to give it to you!"

He had recoiled from the scene before him, even though he had managed to maintain his nonchalant expression. He sipped his coffee to distract himself, but it turned out to taste even more bitter than before...

Blinking away his past thoughts, Niou continued to stare at the passers-by from his seat in the cafe, still not intending to drink the cooling coffee placed in front of him. Emotions welled up inside him, like flashes of lightening; they illuminated his heart just for a split second, not any longer.

Slowly, he reached into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a small package with an envelope attached to it. His hands were trembling as he held up the thin piece of paper. The handwriting on the envelope was written in big loops that formed his name, _Niou Masaharu._ This letter and the package had been lying in his pocket for days now—what was he afraid of? Why didn't he open it? Because if he was to lose something he cherished... he would have a reason to blame it on...

Now is it time? Should he open it? He thought so. Hesitantly, he opened the envelope with shaky fingers and pulled out a piece of paper. Unfolding it slowly, his green orbs scanned over the paper and he froze. In a flash, he was running out of the cafe and calling a taxi. He got in hastily and the vehicle sped off towards the direction of the airport.

As he squeezed in the crowded area, his eyes darted back and forth in hope of finding the two familiar figures. But he failed to do so as the loudspeakers of the airport boomed, making an announcement.

"Attention please, the boarding of the flight XZ198 to America is now over. The plane will be taking off in less than five minutes."

Flopping down on a bench, his shoulders slumped in disappointment; he gazed at the package in his hands. He opened it slowly and stared at its contents: three cubes of white sugar...

_Niou,_

_Akaya has gone to a university in Canada and I have to transfer to America because of my father's business problems. We can't keep on telling you to add sugar when drinking coffee together anymore! So do remember to add them every time you drink coffee, okay? My flight is scheduled on December 25__th__; we won't be able to celebrate Christmas with you anymore... but we'll always be together... the three of us... that will never change..._

_Marui Bunta_

Sometimes realization hurts so much.

He was the coffee that they were trying to sweeten.

But... he was too late...

.x.o.x.  
-**End-  
**.x.o.x.

**Angsty, anyone? X_X**

**Many thanks for my lovely beta, The Night Owl is Addicted. :D**

**Merry belated Christmas again! And a Happy New Year everyone! :3 I hope you enjoyed it, Lana-chan!**


End file.
